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Trade deadline came and went and other than a reported deal involving Ronnie Brewer, the Knicks stood pat

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Looks like the burden of a deep playoff run will rest on the shoulders of Carmelo Anthony (left), as the Knicks declined to look for outside help and stood pat at the trading deadline.
(Photo by Debby Wong/USA TODAY Sports)

Ultimately, it was a weak trade deadline for most teams, as the biggest prize, Atlanta Hawks' forward Josh Smith, stayed put. You know it's a floundering market when arguably the biggest name traded was Orlando Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick.

But that's where the Knicks stand, as they're ready to take on the league with their aging and suddenly-struggling squad. Head coach Mike Woodson and team president Glen Grunwald apparently like what they have, despite the team being on a three-game skid and being 14-14 in their last 28 games.

Reports about Jermaine O'Neal of the Phoenix Suns or Timofey Mozgov of the Denver Nuggets joining the Knicks never materialized, but that doesn't mean the Knicks are still out of the business of adding a player, via the buyout option.

As first reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks are close to sending struggling swingman Ronnie Brewer to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a second-round pick. Berman noted that the yet-to-be-announced deal will clear up some salary-cap space to potentially scoop up a veteran that could be bought out and also give new life to Brewer, a genuinely good guy in the league, who likely needs a change of scenery.

If or when the Knicks pick up any released players, it'll likely be another aging vet. So, the question remains -- does it still keep them in the hunt or is adding a buyout cast-off simply grasping at straws in hopes they catch the same lightning in the bottle that initially spurred them to that great 18-5 start?